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[ZR12] Emissions of heavy metals
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Heavy metal emissions in Slovenia significantly decreased between 1990 and 2023. This can be largely attributed to the implementation of the EU legislation, improved surveillance and use of the best available technologies.

Charts

Figure ZR12-1: Heavy metal emissions in Slovenia
Sources:

National emission inventory, Slovenian Environment Agency, 2025 (3. avgust 2025)

Show data
Lead (Pb)[index (1990=100)] Cadmium (Cd)[index (1990=100)] Mercury (Hg)[index (1990=100)]
1990 100 100 100
1991 89.57 85.65 91.98
1992 84.13 88.28 90.61
1993 82.66 84.10 82.43
1994 83.64 86.62 83.22
1995 54.99 87.08 70.47
1996 27.69 84.91 66.91
1997 25.83 90.35 74.06
1998 22.35 92.77 76.22
1999 20.24 87.11 69.08
2000 18.69 91.18 68.20
2001 15.70 103.66 63.89
2002 14.07 95.60 66.41
2003 14.26 100.40 62.97
2004 14.56 97.29 61.01
2005 15.88 108.66 62.36
2006 15.76 103.70 58.13
2007 16.18 110.33 59.30
2008 16.90 109.71 60.64
2009 13.98 96.93 50.75
2010 15.58 104.47 52.71
2011 15.62 104.43 52.21
2012 14.87 98.65 51.27
2013 14.61 100.25 52.95
2014 13.83 90.09 50.73
2015 13.96 95.05 49.76
2016 14.29 96.53 49.58
2017 14.24 96.04 52.52
2018 14.02 88.15 52.94
2019 13.36 86.59 52.38
2020 11.53 84.51 51.15
2021 12.98 90.50 52.02
2022 12.51 80.29 49.76
2023 11.89 76.77 45.76
Figure ZR12-2: Emission trends for lead (Pb) in Slovenia by sectors
Sources:

National emission inventory, Slovenian Environment Agency, 2025 (3. avgust 2025)

Show data
Total[t] Agriculture[t] Waste[t] Industrial processes and product use[t] Fugitive emissions from fuels[t] Small combustion[t] Other transport[t] Road transport[t] Manufacturing industries and construction[t] Energy industries[t]
1990 43.22 0.00 2.35 0.00 1.22 8.06 29.75 1.00 0.84
1991 38.72 0.00 1.55 0.00 1.44 7.87 26.22 0.87 0.76
1992 36.36 0.00 1.63 0.00 1.24 6.27 25.67 0.71 0.85
1993 35.73 0.00 1.45 0.00 1.09 4.30 27.50 0.58 0.81
1994 36.15 0.00 1.62 0.00 0.90 4.75 27.57 0.52 0.79
1995 23.77 0.00 1.60 0.00 0.83 2.22 17.76 0.58 0.77
1996 11.97 0.00 1.40 0.00 0.82 0.65 7.81 0.59 0.70
1997 11.16 0.00 1.56 0.00 0.74 0.49 6.98 0.62 0.77
1998 9.66 0.00 1.65 0.00 0.72 0.49 5.36 0.62 0.81
1999 8.75 0.00 1.75 0.00 0.73 0.34 4.65 0.57 0.71
2000 8.08 0.00 1.94 0.00 0.68 0.16 4.00 0.56 0.74
2001 6.79 0.00 1.98 0.00 0.78 0.02 2.56 0.64 0.81
2002 6.08 0.00 2.07 0.00 0.63 0.00 1.80 0.73 0.85
2003 6.17 0.00 2.27 0.00 0.66 0.00 1.80 0.63 0.80
2004 6.29 0.00 2.41 0.00 0.62 0.00 1.82 0.62 0.82
2005 6.86 0.00 2.81 0.00 0.71 0.00 1.90 0.61 0.83
2006 6.81 0.00 2.75 0.00 0.63 0.00 1.98 0.60 0.85
2007 6.99 0.00 2.71 0.00 0.69 0.00 2.20 0.52 0.87
2008 7.30 0.00 2.74 0.00 0.70 0.00 2.46 0.52 0.88
2009 6.04 0.00 2.00 0.00 0.68 0.00 2.08 0.45 0.82
2010 6.73 0.00 2.61 0.00 0.68 0.00 2.14 0.46 0.84
2011 6.75 0.00 2.51 0.00 0.68 0.00 2.25 0.45 0.86
2012 6.43 0.01 2.30 0.00 0.64 0.00 2.25 0.41 0.82
2013 6.32 0.01 2.27 0.00 0.66 0.00 2.13 0.45 0.79
2014 5.98 0.01 2.23 0.00 0.54 0.00 2.11 0.48 0.60
2015 6.04 0.02 2.28 0.00 0.61 0.00 2.06 0.43 0.64
2016 6.17 0.01 2.29 0.00 0.62 0.00 2.17 0.40 0.69
2017 6.16 0.02 2.24 0.00 0.58 0.00 2.21 0.43 0.69
2018 6.06 0.01 2.39 0.00 0.49 0.00 2.07 0.43 0.67
2019 5.77 0.01 2.18 0.00 0.48 0.00 2.02 0.43 0.65
2020 4.98 0.01 1.82 0.00 0.48 0.00 1.66 0.37 0.64
2021 5.61 0.01 2.26 0.00 0.53 0.00 1.90 0.32 0.59
2022 5.41 0.01 1.99 0.00 0.44 0.00 2.12 0.37 0.48
2023 5.14 0.01 1.92 0.00 0.44 0.00 1.98 0.30 0.49
Figure ZR12-3: Lead (Pb) emissions in Slovenia and EU countries, 1990-2023
Sources:

Air pollutant emissions data viewer (Gothenburg Protocol, LRTAP Convention) 1990-2023, EEA, 2025 (25. september 2025)

Show data
EU27[index (1990 = 100)] Slovenia[index (1990 = 100)] Netherlands[index (1990 = 100)] Malta[index (1990 = 100)] Hungary[index (1990 = 100)] Italy[index (1990 = 100)] Croatia[index (1990 = 100)] Austria[index (1990 = 100)]
1990 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
1991 75.27 89.57 83.66 99.17 87.36 76.61 67.47 84.60
1992 57.73 84.13 70.84 103.60 34.09 57.71 49.61 60.26
1993 51.88 82.66 62.99 125.60 29.63 53.42 49.02 42.72
1994 47.52 83.64 54.27 125.58 23.84 49.24 53.45 29.56
1995 43.80 54.99 46.15 122.94 17.70 46.97 49.83 11.19
1996 37.67 27.69 31.70 127.77 14.18 44.46 40.12 10.73
1997 34.33 25.83 16.57 133.87 12.12 40.25 36.40 10.55
1998 30.90 22.35 12.87 136.52 11.37 37.17 34.77 10.29
1999 27.42 20.24 10.74 136.92 3.79 33.28 33.79 10.08
2000 18.59 18.69 8.67 137.76 2.58 23.04 27.68 10.01
2001 13.67 15.70 9.53 139.53 2.67 17.55 21.17 9.94
2002 11.01 14.07 10.70 138.99 2.82 6.82 13.09 10.68
2003 10.39 14.26 9.65 144.17 2.90 6.96 6.49 10.87
2004 9.62 14.56 10.10 144.64 2.77 7.28 4.35 11.01
2005 9.15 15.88 8.98 135.44 1.72 7.61 2.91 11.70
2006 8.98 15.76 8.99 139.52 1.67 7.65 2.29 11.87
2007 8.86 16.18 10.66 138.48 1.64 7.59 2.26 6.72
2008 8.26 16.90 9.09 139.54 1.86 7.13 2.14 6.62
2009 6.87 13.98 9.39 144.94 1.60 5.24 2.02 6.25
2010 7.38 15.58 11.23 146.54 1.46 5.72 1.92 6.83
2011 6.28 15.62 6.71 111.01 1.58 5.97 1.85 6.83
2012 6.11 14.87 4.82 142.81 1.54 5.76 1.72 6.84
2013 6.01 14.61 4.15 130.07 1.44 5.33 1.99 6.96
2014 5.95 13.83 2.71 138.59 1.44 5.52 1.86 6.65
2015 5.86 13.96 2.60 126.42 1.53 5.29 1.89 6.56
2016 5.61 14.29 2.70 123.77 1.55 4.67 1.90 6.71
2017 5.72 14.24 2.59 116.94 1.54 4.81 1.95 6.75
2018 5.58 14.02 1.79 121.93 1.52 4.84 2.02 6.57
2019 5.44 13.36 1.57 120.40 1.58 4.72 1.42 6.39
2020 4.84 11.53 1.74 98.12 1.53 4.16 1.42 5.57
2021 5.27 12.98 1.47 110.59 1.78 4.95 1.61 5.92
2022 5.10 12.51 1.37 116.16 1.78 4.82 1.53 6.00
2023 4.94 11.89 1.19 114.07 1.56 4.72 1.67 5.91
Figure ZR12-4: Emission trends for cadmium (Cd) in Slovenia by sectors
Sources:

National emission inventory, Slovenian Environment Agency, 2025 (3. avgust 2025)

Show data
Total[t] Agriculture[t] Waste[t] Industrial processes and product use[t] Fugitive emissions from fuels[t] Small combustion[t] Other transport[t] Road transport[t] Manufacturing industries and construction[t] Energy industries[t]
1990 0.64 0 0.00 0.19 0.00 0.24 0.00 0.01 0.09 0.10
1991 0.54 0 0.00 0.12 0.00 0.25 0.00 0.01 0.06 0.09
1992 0.56 0 0.00 0.13 0.00 0.25 0.00 0.01 0.07 0.10
1993 0.53 0 0.00 0.11 0.00 0.25 0.00 0.02 0.06 0.10
1994 0.55 0 0.00 0.13 0.00 0.25 0.00 0.02 0.06 0.10
1995 0.55 0 0.00 0.13 0.00 0.25 0.00 0.02 0.07 0.09
1996 0.54 0 0.00 0.11 0.00 0.25 0.00 0.02 0.07 0.08
1997 0.57 0 0.00 0.12 0.00 0.25 0.00 0.02 0.08 0.09
1998 0.59 0 0.00 0.13 0.00 0.25 0.00 0.02 0.09 0.10
1999 0.55 0 0.00 0.14 0.00 0.25 0.00 0.02 0.05 0.09
2000 0.58 0 0.00 0.15 0.00 0.26 0.00 0.02 0.06 0.09
2001 0.66 0 0.00 0.15 0.00 0.31 0.00 0.02 0.08 0.10
2002 0.61 0 0.00 0.16 0.00 0.24 0.00 0.02 0.08 0.10
2003 0.64 0 0.00 0.17 0.00 0.26 0.00 0.02 0.09 0.10
2004 0.62 0 0.00 0.17 0.00 0.25 0.00 0.02 0.08 0.10
2005 0.69 0 0.00 0.18 0.00 0.30 0.00 0.02 0.08 0.10
2006 0.66 0 0.00 0.19 0.00 0.27 0.00 0.02 0.07 0.10
2007 0.70 0 0.00 0.20 0.00 0.31 0.00 0.02 0.06 0.10
2008 0.70 0 0.00 0.20 0.00 0.30 0.00 0.03 0.06 0.10
2009 0.62 0 0.00 0.15 0.00 0.29 0.00 0.02 0.05 0.10
2010 0.66 0 0.00 0.18 0.00 0.30 0.00 0.02 0.05 0.10
2011 0.66 0 0.00 0.19 0.00 0.30 0.00 0.03 0.05 0.10
2012 0.63 0 0.00 0.17 0.00 0.29 0.00 0.03 0.04 0.10
2013 0.64 0 0.00 0.17 0.00 0.30 0.00 0.02 0.05 0.09
2014 0.57 0 0.00 0.17 0.00 0.25 0.00 0.02 0.06 0.07
2015 0.60 0 0.00 0.16 0.00 0.28 0.00 0.02 0.06 0.08
2016 0.61 0 0.00 0.16 0.00 0.28 0.00 0.03 0.05 0.08
2017 0.61 0 0.00 0.17 0.00 0.27 0.00 0.03 0.06 0.08
2018 0.56 0 0.00 0.17 0.00 0.22 0.00 0.03 0.05 0.08
2019 0.55 0 0.00 0.17 0.00 0.22 0.00 0.03 0.06 0.08
2020 0.54 0 0.00 0.16 0.00 0.22 0.00 0.02 0.06 0.07
2021 0.57 0 0.00 0.17 0.00 0.25 0.00 0.02 0.06 0.07
2022 0.51 0 0.00 0.16 0.00 0.21 0.00 0.03 0.06 0.06
2023 0.49 0 0.00 0.14 0.00 0.20 0.00 0.03 0.05 0.06
Figure ZR12-5: Cadmium (Cd) emissions in Slovenia and EU countries, 1990-2023
Sources:

Air pollutant emissions data viewer (Gothenburg Protocol, LRTAP Convention) 1990-2023, EEA, 2025 (25. september 2025)

Show data
Austria[index (1990 = 100)] Croatia[index (1990 = 100)] Italy[index (1990 = 100)] Hungary[index (1990 = 100)] Portugal[index (1990 = 100)] Malta[index (1990 = 100)] Slovenia[index (1990 = 100)] EU27[index (1990 = 100)]
1990 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
1991 94.65 92.66 107.62 93.46 98.28 88.67 85.65 91.34
1992 78.74 72.94 101.96 87.18 100.73 88.47 88.28 83.79
1993 71.03 76.50 98.83 90.09 97.29 100.70 84.10 80.21
1994 65.56 67.80 95.63 87.88 98.71 96.51 86.62 78.41
1995 63.17 73.89 95.49 86.36 104.33 94.33 87.08 77.25
1996 62.30 78.96 93.67 85.07 106.12 89.49 84.91 77.58
1997 60.26 76.15 93.35 84.89 109.16 93.52 90.35 77.25
1998 57.51 79.42 90.26 83.56 110.62 94.81 92.77 70.34
1999 59.55 82.64 89.28 80.76 113.01 94.91 87.11 71.45
2000 58.52 77.26 91.62 94.83 112.78 92.35 91.18 66.52
2001 59.36 84.30 89.97 99.77 114.25 102.41 103.66 64.36
2002 58.73 83.88 75.66 83.24 114.98 96.43 95.60 61.21
2003 59.81 90.34 72.51 86.94 112.78 106.39 100.40 59.72
2004 59.76 91.55 76.42 77.77 116.00 102.18 97.29 55.54
2005 62.24 96.50 78.89 71.59 117.40 90.54 108.66 53.86
2006 64.43 92.09 74.55 73.02 116.58 92.67 103.70 52.37
2007 51.18 81.97 72.85 76.02 115.40 96.92 110.33 51.63
2008 50.94 84.31 65.04 73.66 115.44 95.83 109.71 48.25
2009 50.42 82.49 51.24 77.31 108.06 94.61 96.93 44.19
2010 54.66 84.56 48.53 81.37 106.44 98.80 104.47 43.37
2011 53.53 78.97 48.11 89.16 103.69 97.50 104.43 43.62
2012 54.69 75.80 45.20 91.69 103.21 103.19 98.65 40.48
2013 55.59 75.88 41.60 90.44 101.48 96.30 100.25 39.61
2014 51.71 68.14 40.94 82.05 102.29 90.88 90.09 38.05
2015 53.67 72.40 41.13 87.30 103.39 75.46 95.05 38.10
2016 52.65 68.07 40.57 85.46 99.18 72.97 96.53 37.66
2017 53.55 68.16 40.78 86.10 101.08 63.79 96.04 37.96
2018 51.24 68.93 40.51 78.21 101.31 60.01 88.15 37.61
2019 50.24 65.33 39.29 75.23 97.87 61.19 86.59 36.48
2020 49.28 64.80 36.23 74.54 96.18 57.31 84.51 34.02
2021 53.67 70.77 40.81 73.09 97.06 8.31 90.50 34.33
2022 52.12 64.24 37.95 70.58 95.55 8.55 80.29 32.35
2023 49.76 68.28 37.57 63.19 97.09 8.47 76.77 30.84
Figure ZR12-6: Emission trends for mercury (Hg) in Slovenia by sectors
Sources:

National emission inventory, Slovenian Environment Agency, 2025 (3. avgust 2025)

Show data
Total[t] Agriculture[t] Waste[t] Industrial processes and product use[t] Fugitive emissions from fuels[t] Small combustion[t] Other transport[t] Road transport[t] Manufacturing industries and construction[t] Energy industries[t]
1990 0.36 0 0.01 0.04 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.01 0.11 0.16
1991 0.33 0 0.01 0.02 0.00 0.05 0.00 0.01 0.10 0.14
1992 0.33 0 0.01 0.02 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.01 0.08 0.16
1993 0.30 0 0.01 0.02 0.00 0.04 0.00 0.01 0.07 0.16
1994 0.30 0 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.03 0.00 0.01 0.07 0.15
1995 0.26 0 0.01 0.02 0.00 0.03 0.00 0.01 0.08 0.11
1996 0.24 0 0.01 0.02 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.08 0.10
1997 0.27 0 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.08 0.11
1998 0.28 0 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.08 0.12
1999 0.25 0 0.02 0.02 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.08 0.10
2000 0.25 0 0.02 0.03 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.08 0.10
2001 0.23 0 0.02 0.03 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.09 0.07
2002 0.24 0 0.02 0.03 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.09 0.08
2003 0.23 0 0.03 0.03 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.08 0.07
2004 0.22 0 0.02 0.03 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.08 0.06
2005 0.23 0 0.02 0.03 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.08 0.06
2006 0.21 0 0.02 0.04 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.09 0.04
2007 0.22 0 0.02 0.04 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.08 0.05
2008 0.22 0 0.02 0.04 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.09 0.04
2009 0.18 0 0.02 0.03 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.07 0.04
2010 0.19 0 0.02 0.04 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.06 0.04
2011 0.19 0 0.02 0.04 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.06 0.04
2012 0.19 0 0.02 0.04 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.06 0.04
2013 0.19 0 0.03 0.04 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.01 0.07 0.04
2014 0.18 0 0.03 0.04 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.07 0.03
2015 0.18 0 0.03 0.04 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.06 0.03
2016 0.18 0 0.03 0.04 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.06 0.03
2017 0.19 0 0.03 0.04 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.07 0.03
2018 0.19 0 0.03 0.04 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.07 0.03
2019 0.19 0 0.03 0.04 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.07 0.03
2020 0.19 0 0.03 0.03 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.07 0.03
2021 0.19 0 0.03 0.04 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.07 0.03
2022 0.18 0 0.03 0.03 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.07 0.03
2023 0.17 0 0.03 0.03 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.06 0.02
Figure ZR12-7: Mercury (Hg) emissions in Slovenia and EU countries, 1990-2023
Sources:

Air pollutant emissions data viewer (Gothenburg Protocol, LRTAP Convention) 1990-2023, EEA, 2025 (25. september 2025)

Show data
Austria[index (1990 = 100)] Croatia[index (1990 = 100)] Italy[index (1990 = 100)] Hungary[index (1990 = 100)] Portugal[index (1990 = 100)] Denmark[index (1990 = 100)] Slovenia[index (1990 = 100)] EU27[index (1990 = 100)]
1990 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100
1991 96.04 96.97 97.55 97.18 100.67 103.64 91.98 94.62
1992 79.44 98.85 96.51 85.95 102.64 94.73 90.61 87.81
1993 69.52 24.98 94.26 85.82 102.31 92.59 82.43 80.56
1994 62.34 22.53 91.70 83.29 107.77 80.39 83.22 77.88
1995 63.29 21.90 93.84 70.86 115.22 73.26 70.47 77.36
1996 60.11 21.20 92.35 68.38 118.48 77.77 66.91 73.78
1997 62.43 25.25 94.48 65.74 131.96 62.44 74.06 69.93
1998 56.69 27.47 93.89 62.47 115.03 52.96 76.22 65.46
1999 54.94 30.30 90.70 61.99 115.20 46.75 69.08 64.25
2000 55.57 39.80 95.30 60.63 100.73 31.54 68.20 62.53
2001 58.29 40.51 94.49 60.26 84.76 27.43 63.89 60.53
2002 58.43 44.86 94.91 57.97 84.99 26.52 66.41 59.05
2003 60.09 46.45 99.17 57.14 81.67 27.21 62.97 57.82
2004 59.53 47.48 85.08 54.20 82.36 22.80 61.01 54.28
2005 64.04 49.42 82.02 48.39 75.11 21.65 62.36 53.40
2006 43.41 46.91 84.06 34.62 73.92 19.31 58.13 50.45
2007 43.76 49.49 75.20 33.69 75.45 18.87 59.30 48.71
2008 44.39 47.53 70.70 35.20 71.76 18.84 60.64 44.76
2009 39.33 41.23 53.00 32.29 68.70 14.25 50.75 39.07
2010 44.02 44.15 55.71 31.62 65.02 13.53 52.71 39.41
2011 43.84 41.46 56.45 31.34 67.20 12.46 52.21 40.17
2012 44.31 38.93 60.79 32.50 67.62 9.71 51.27 38.64
2013 46.34 40.49 51.03 29.22 67.11 10.44 52.95 36.94
2014 44.44 39.12 55.51 30.66 66.26 10.57 50.73 36.19
2015 43.91 38.07 47.48 32.07 70.39 9.00 49.76 36.00
2016 41.33 38.74 42.04 31.21 66.26 10.47 49.58 33.19
2017 42.41 32.92 46.29 35.02 70.78 8.89 52.52 33.61
2018 41.08 33.09 45.21 30.19 68.53 8.58 52.94 32.37
2019 41.78 29.10 41.83 29.43 62.91 7.21 52.38 29.96
2020 42.41 29.49 37.83 28.55 58.99 7.37 51.15 26.25
2021 41.58 31.68 41.57 27.74 59.24 7.45 52.02 28.31
2022 40.35 30.84 36.42 25.19 53.61 8.03 49.76 25.34
2023 36.25 30.06 34.76 21.91 53.65 6.69 45.76 23.12

Methodology

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Last modified
12.01.2026
Author(s)

Martina Logar, Agencija RS za okolje